CVE-2026-22024 CryptoLib Memory Leak in KMC Encrypt Function Leads to Resource Exhaustion
Attackers can exhaust memory in spacecraft systems by triggering a memory leak in the CryptoLib encryption function, leading to denial of service.
- Exploited in the wild
- Not known
- Login needed
- Not needed
- Attackable
- Over the internet
- Victim action needed
- Not needed
- Fix
- None listed
What is CVE-2026-22024?
CVE-2026-22024 is a medium-severity denial of service vulnerability in nasa CryptoLib, published on 10 Jan 2026. An attacker can exploit it over the internet without logging in, with no action from the victim.
Official description
CryptoLib provides a software-only solution using the CCSDS Space Data Link Security Protocol - Extended Procedures (SDLS-EP) to secure communications between a spacecraft running the core Flight System (cFS) and a ground station. Prior to version 1.4.3, the cryptography_encrypt() function allocates multiple buffers for HTTP requests and JSON parsing that are never freed on any code path. Each call leaks approximately 400 bytes of memory. Sustained traffic can gradually exhaust available memory. This issue has been patched in version 1.4.3.
Weakness: CWE-401
Which versions are affected by CVE-2026-22024?
It affects 1 product.
Products include Nasa Cryptolib.
How do I fix CVE-2026-22024?
No fix has been published for CVE-2026-22024 yet. Limit exposure of the affected software until one is available.
Upgrade, then put limits on request size, rate and nesting depth so one client cannot exhaust the service. More about Denial of service.
Is CVE-2026-22024 being exploited?
It is not confirmed as exploited in the wild, but public exploit code for CVE-2026-22024 exists.
Public exploit code: 1 proofs of concept on GitHub.
Other vulnerabilities in nasa CryptoLib
- CVE-2025-30216 CryptoLib Has Heap Overflow in Crypto_TM_ProcessSecurity due to Unchecked Secondary Header Length
- CVE-2025-30356 Heap Buffer Overflow via Incomplete Length Check in `Crypto_TC_ApplySecurity`
- CVE-2025-29909 CryptoLib's Crypto_TC_ApplySecurity() Has a Heap Buffer Overflow Vulnerability
- CVE-2025-29911 CryptoLib Has Heap Buffer Overflow in Crypto_AOS_ProcessSecurity Function
- CVE-2025-29912 CryptoLib Has Heap Buffer Overflow Due to Unsigned Integer Underflow in Crypto_TC_ProcessSecurity
Sources
Also known as GHSA-r3wg-g8xv-gxvf.